Preparations in Full Swing for President’s Odisha Visit

Bhubaneswar: Preparations are underway in full swing for President Droupadi Murmu’s upcoming Odisha visit.

The State Administration has been gearing up to welcome President Murmu on her two-day visit to Odisha. A high level meeting was held on Monday under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra to review the arrangements for the President’s tour.

Various preparatory works relating to the President’s visit were chalked out. Mahapatra directed the departments concerned to complete the preparations well before the scheduled time. Senior officers were given the charge of supervision and timely completion as well.

Presenting a draft tour programme of the President, Special Secretary Home Santosh Bala said that so far three public programmes have been slated for the President’s visit. Her Excellency would arrive at Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar on February 10 at around noon and would proceed to Utkal Mandap in the city to attend the Foundation Day of Jnanaprabha Mission as Chief Guest.

After taking her lunch, she will attend the Second Convocation of Rama Devi Women’s University as Chief Guest. She would make her night halt at Raj Bhawan.

On the next morning, the President would visit Lord Lingaraj Temple and then proceed to Cuttack to inaugurate the Second Indian Rice Congress at ICAR. Thereafter, she will leave for New Delhi from Bhubaneswar Airport on the same day.

The issues relating to aircraft, guard of honor, security arrangements, accommodation, carcade and transport arrangements, fire fighting, medical and health care for the VVIP, uninterrupted power and water supply, hotline connectivity, barricading, construction of dais, media management etc were discussed in details in the meeting.

The Chief Secretary also directed the departments to stay alert and keep a strict vigil over the entire process, so as to make the visit of Her Excellency free of any hitches and omissions.

The authorities of the institutions concerned were advised to have regular liaisons with state Home Department and Police Administration regarding dais plan, regulation of crowds and gathering at the meeting places.

Notably, RT-PCR tests for staff deployed on duty, dignitaries and appointees before 72 hours prior to the event and use of face mask are mandatory during the visit of Her Excellency.

Additional Chief Secretary Deoranjan Kumar Singh along with the Principal Secretaries, Secretaries and senior officials from Home, Police, Intelligence and other departments took part in the discussion.